Anti-inflammatory secondary metabolites from .

The species belonging to genus grow mainly in Irano-Turanian and Mediterranean regions and have been used as folk remedy for inflammatory-related diseases since ancient times. The present study was aimed to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts of as well as the isolated compounds. The aerial parts and the roots of the plant were separately extracted with methanol. Anti-inflammatory activities of both extracts were evaluated with formalin test in mice. As the methanolic extract of the aerial parts significantly ( < .05) inhibited inflammation, it was then submitted to successive solvent extractions with -hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and -butanol to yield subextracts. Anti-inflammatory activities of the subextracts were evaluated within the same test system. Among the subextracts tested, the -butanol subextract produced a significant ( < .05) anti-inflammatory activity at all doses (5, 10, and 30 mg/kg, ip.). Sequential chromatographic separation of the -butanol subextract yielded 8-O-acetyl-4--()--coumaroylharpagide, 8--acetyl-4--()--coumaroylharpagide, β-sitosterol 3--β-glucopyranoside, apigenin 7--β-glucopyranoside, apigenin 7--rutinoside, luteolin 7--β-glucopyranoside and luteolin 7--rutinoside. The anti-inflammatory activities of the isolates were evaluated at 5 mg/kg dose. Luteolin 7--β-glucopyranoside and apigenin 7--rutinoside caused a significant ( < .05) inhibition of oedema formation.